Yorkshire Bank becomes first sponsor of Tour de Yorkshire

Yorkshire Bank has been unveiled as the first sponsor of the inaugural Tour de Yorkshire.

The three-year deal will see Yorkshire Bank secure exclusive rights of the race’s coveted sprinter’s jersey.

The three-day event, which starts on Friday May 1, builds on the legacy of the Tour de France and today’s announcement signifies the bank’s growing commitment to all forms of cycling in the region.

Helen Page, Customer Experience, Products & Marketing Director at Yorkshire Bank, said; “We’re proud to support cycling in Yorkshire at all levels, from children borrowing library bikes to welcoming professional riders to the county. This sponsorship is a natural extension to our existing commitment and I hope this exciting race will inspire more riders of all ages and abilities to enjoy the benefits of cycling.”

Yorkshire Bank already actively supports cycling in Yorkshire as sponsor of the ground-breaking Yorkshire Bank Bike Libraries initiative. Launched in December last year, the ambitious scheme, in partnership with Cycle Yorkshire, aims to help get more people across Yorkshire cycling, especially young people. The bank’s investment is creating a network of refurbished bikes that are available on loan through bike libraries across Yorkshire.

The race, which is expected to become the UK’s flagship cycling event in 2015 and an outstanding part of the international calendar, will have four jerseys amongst which there will be one for sprinters, King of the Mountains and overall classification.

Sprint points across the three-day race will accumulate on a daily and overall basis, with the rider with most points being awarded the Yorkshire Bank jersey. The designs for each jersey will be unveiled later in Spring.

Gary Verity, Chief Executive of Welcome to Yorkshire, said “Yorkshire Bank is a perfect fit for our race and we’re delighted to have them on board. It’s apt that the sprinters jersey is the first we are announcing, and in the following weeks more sponsors will be unveiled although there are still opportunities for businesses to get involved with the race.”